Mets 8 Braves 4 (Citi Field, Flushing, NY)
Mets record: 55-48
Mets streak: Won 3
WP - Kodai Senga (1-0)
LP - Charlie Morton (5-6)
Seat on the Korner:
We select the star of the game and virtually invite him to a Seat on the Korner, just as Ralph Kiner used to do for his studio postgame show on WOR-channel 9 broadcasts in the early decades of the Mets.
Martinez's grand slam in third set a 7 run inning in motion and helped the Mets cruise to victory.
Need to Know
Kodai Senga made his first start of the season off his shoulder injury, and was brilliant through 5 and 1/3, striking out 9 hitters while only giving up two runs on two hits. But he would leave the game with a calf strain in the 6th.
The Mets moved into the first wild card spot with the win, and also moved above third place for the first time in any calendar date this season.
J.D. Martinez's grand slam in the third was the second grannie of the season for the Mets. The first was also against the Braves ... but it was off Luis Guillorme early in the season by Tyrone Taylor.
Francisco Alvarez's homer in the third was his first in 69 at-bats which spanned exactly one month. It also knocked Charlie Morton out of the game.
The three home runs the Mets hit in the third (Mark Vientos hit the other one) was the second time that the Mets hit three dingers in a frame this season.
The seven run third inning was the Mets' biggest inning of the season.
Adam Duvall hit two home runs for the Braves tonight.
Before the game, the Mets made a barrage of moves ... In addition to Senga returning, the Mets brought back Eric Orze for the bullpen. (Orze would pitch tonight in relief of Senga and gave up one hit in an inning and 2/3.) The corresponding moves were Dedniel Nunez to the IL with a right pronator strain, and Adrian Houser being designated for assignment. Shintaro Fujinami, who was signed to a deal but never reached the majors with the Mets, was also designated for assignment.
During the game, the Mets announced that they acquired reliever Ryne Stanek from the Mariners for minor league outfielder Rhylan Thomas.
Turning Point
The turning point, if we're being honest, was Austin Riley's error which opened the floodgates for the Mets' huge 7 run third inning.
But for lack of video on X (formerly Twitter), let's just go with J.D.'s grannie:
Three Keys
Ups ...
Senga was brilliant in his outing after giving up a two run HR to Duvall. The Mets held him back an extra start to get his stamina up for his first outing which was against the Braves. The strategy worked to perfection, almost. Senga's pitches were dipping and diving at the right time and the Braves, who are not the Braves of the last 2-3 years, were baffled.
... And Downs
But ... Senga's night came crashing down on him on a non-contact play in the 6th.
When the first thing in my mind after a play is Vinny Testaverde on Opening Day in '99, it's never a good thing. But Senga was able to walk off under his own power (unlike poor Vinny), and the Mets called it a calf strain. If it's a minor strain, you could see him back in two weeks at most. But the really important thing to remember is that I'm not a doctor.
The Game Is Afoot
The moves involving the bullpen before the game were eye opening. For a team that needs bullpen arms to all of a sudden lose Houser, who had found a bit of a rhythm as a long man, and Fujinami who never got a chance to contribute, tells me that they're confident that either the relievers that are ready to return from injury are going to make a difference (like Sean Reid-Foley), or that they've made enough progress on the trade front that something is close enough to happening that Houser and Fujinami were expendable.
Sure enough, the Stanek trade happens and the pre-game moves all make sense. And with a guy like Carlos Estévez and his 0.73 WHIP along with his expiring contract just sitting there on a struggling Angels team don't be surprised if the Mets aren't done.
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